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Xie Lian had an uncanny knack for getting himself into the strangest of situations. It truly should be considered a talent. This unfortunate talent was how he came to find himself in front of the extremely ornate doors that led to the Hua family’s household, clutching a letter.
He straightened up, fixing his robes and bamboo hat and hoping he looked presentable, and not like a sect leader who was desperately in need of funds. He raised his hand, knocked twice, then waited.
Quickly enough, a servant answered the door. She took stock of his white robes and the letter in his hand. “Daozhang! Welcome, we’ve been expecting you. Are you here for Hua-gongzi?”
He nodded. “Yes. Might I speak with the master of the house?”
***
“Daozhang, really…I can’t thank you enough for coming,” the man said, almost in tears. “We’ve tried everything for my son, and nothing seems to help. His illness just continues to get worse. Sending these missives out to all the cultivation sects in the area is truly our last resort.”
Xie Lian nodded sagely. “That’s what I’m here for. I have a variety of remedies with me to try.”
The other man tilted his head, looking confused. “Did you not read the letter?”
Truth be told, he had simply skimmed it. He knew the general gist of it, though - the second son of the Hua family was ill, and his father was seeking the expertise of any nearby cultivation sects to provide treatment. Ample compensation would be provided, the letter read, which was truly all he needed to hear.
“I believe I did. Is there something I’m missing?”
He flushed. “Well…by providing treatment, I was specifically referring to dual cultivation. Look, see - it’s written at the bottom there.”
Sure enough, it was. Written in text much smaller than the rest of the letter, it said - Must be willing to practice dual cultivation as a treatment method . Xie Lian could feel his face heating up.
“So it is indeed…” he muttered. He wasn’t sure whether to laugh or to cry.
The master of the house coughed. “Of course, I’d understand if you don’t want to do it. But we are desperate, to say the least. Some of the texts in our family’s library had mentioned that dual cultivation might aid in healing the body, and so I thought that it would be worth a try.”
“No, the texts are correct. Dual cultivation is said to be - ah, extremely effective in expelling any negative energy from the body. If this illness is spiritually based - which I’m sure it is - dual cultivation should work. I am simply…a bit shocked, is all.”
“Does that mean you’ll do it, then? Oh, daozhang, I can’t thank you enough-”
“Wait, wait!” He said, hurriedly cutting the man off. “Let me see Hua-gongzi first. I must…evaluate his illness.”
“Whatever you need for your work will be provided. Come, I’ll take you to him.”
***
“Hello?” Xie Lian called, tentatively pushing open the door to the young master’s chambers.
“Er-gongzi, are you awake? I’ve come to examine you.”
“Wide awake,” answered a sultry voice from behind the gauzy red curtains that shrouded the bed in the center of the room. “You can come closer, I don’t bite.”
The voice was deep and soothing to the ear, and it sent a shiver through Xie Lian. Beneath that, though, he could hear a slight rasp - the kind borne from having a persistent cough, or perhaps a head cold. Tentatively, he approached, the knowledge that both of them knew exactly why he was here glaringly present in his mind. He drew back the curtains.
The young master was propped up against some pillows, his robe half-spilling off of his shoulder to reveal an expanse of smooth, fair skin. His dark hair was loose, hanging over his shoulders in limp strands. Even as he was shrouded in partial darkness from the curtains, Xie Lian could tell he was paler than he should have been - almost as if there was no blood circulating within him at all. His face, as handsome as it was, had the mark of someone who had been ill for a very long time. Dark circles were etched under his eyes- his eye , for his right eye was covered with an eye patch - like valleys, and his lips were cracked and dry.
All that to say - Xie Lian was suddenly seriously considering the whole dual cultivation business. Clearly, the young man needed the help, and if what his father had said was correct, the other remedies he’d normally recommend were of no benefit. The fact that he was attractive had no bearing on his decision, which came purely from the goodness of his altruistic heart.
“I’m- I’m Xie Lian. I’ve come to…to see if I can help cure your illness.” Curse his wavering voice.
“I know who you are. You’re not the first cultivator that’s seen me. Hua Cheng, though I’m sure you already know that.”
“Could you come a bit closer for me, Hua-gongzi? I need to check your meridians. To evaluate the nature of the illness, of course.” Hua Cheng moved with the practiced ease of someone who had done this a thousand times before. He pulled his robe back up, before shifting closer to Xie Lian and offering his wrist.
“You won’t find anything different. None of the other cultivators that have come knew what to do.” Xie Lian felt almost sorry for him. The best years of his youth spent in this room, wasting away from a mystery illness it seemed like there would be no cure for. He
had
to help.
His wrists were cold to the touch. If not for the faint pulse he felt beneath his skin, Xie Lian would almost think he was a ghost. His qi was sluggish, almost stagnant.
“Well, your illness is spiritually based, alright. And no remedies have worked so far?”
Hua Cheng smiled wryly. “Not a single one, daozhang. I’ve stopped hoping for a miracle cure - at this point, I’m just waiting for my time.”
“Ah- you shouldn’t think like that!” Xie Lian answered, grasping Hua Cheng’s shoulders. “There’s always something to be done, and I promise you - I won’t leave until I’ve helped you.”
“Even if it involves dual cultivation, daozhang-gege?” He asked, grinning. He leaned in, and Xie Lian felt his heart speed up inexplicably. This close, and Xie Lian could see how pointed his canines were.
“Even- even that. I have a duty, after all.”
“Then,” he said, wrapping his arms around Xie Lian’s waist. “Come and do your duty.”
***
Hua Cheng had long since gotten bored of the people who came to try and cure him - whatever remedies they brought never worked, and often left him feeling far more worn down than he did before. The dual cultivation had been his idea - he wasn’t expecting it to work, but at least it meant he would be able to live a little before the inevitable. It was a common trope in his books - dual cultivation to cure the mysterious illness, then the hero and his love interest lived happily ever after. Perhaps there was a part of him that wanted the happily ever after, too - wanted that human connection that he’d been isolated from for so long.
He hadn’t expected anyone promising to actually show up. Least of all a beautiful young cultivator who looked for all the world like he should be some sort of heavenly deity, not down here with the mortals. He’d been so sincere in his promise, too - the way his eyes sparkled when he declared “I won’t leave until I’ve helped you!” was a sight all on its own.
And now, his beautiful cultivator was straddling him, and he prayed that this wasn’t an elaborate hallucination brought on by his sickness. Xie Lian’s hands were so warm on him. He hadn’t felt warm in a very long time.
“Daozhang-gege…how do we start?” he asked, all but batting his eyelashes.
A flush was creeping up the back of Xie Lian’s neck, and he coughed. “Well- dual cultivation usually involves…transferring the negative energy into a willing vessel who has enough spiritual energy to purify it. That, I suppose, would be me.”
“So…how does this transfer work?” He asked, feigning innocence. Truth be told, he just wanted to see that blush again while Xie Lian struggled to come up with an answer.
“I’ve…truthfully, I’ve never done this before. But I’ve studied it! So- you’re in good hands, I promise.” Those good hands were currently clutching his shoulders as though they were the only thing tethering him to the world.
“I will follow your lead, daozhang,” he said, nodding dutifully. He was half hard already from just looking at the man, and he was still fully clothed. He wondered what he’d look like underneath those robes. “Though, wouldn’t it be better if we disrobed?”
“Right- right, of course!” Xie Lian stammered. He reached for Hua Cheng’s inner robe, pulling it off with such tenderness it almost made his heart ache. He folded it, too, and rested it neatly at the foot of the bed. He was now completely bare before him, and he followed the other man’s eyes as they trailed down his body. Was he even aware of how much he was staring?
“Doazhang-gege?” He asked. Xie Lian jumped.
“Yes! Yes, I was simply examining you further. I have to make sure that dual cultivation won’t put too much strain on your body, you know.” Examining his cock, more like it, because his gaze hadn’t wavered from that part of his anatomy.
“Of course. Daozhang-gege can stare as long as he likes. But- are you not taking your clothes off too?”
Finally, he tore his gaze away to meet his eye once more. He disrobed quickly, efficiently- like a professional, and Hua Cheng had a hard time believing he’d never done this before. The sight underneath his robes was just as breathtaking as he’d imagined - skin as smooth and fair as porcelain, marked in some places by scars that Hua Cheng found himself curious about. His waist, too, was small - so small that he thought he might be able to encircle it with his hands. His cock twitched at the thought.
Hua Cheng reached for him, wanting to know how he’d feel pressed against him now that they were both naked. Xie Lian’s body fit against his as though they were meant to be together, and he buried his head against the nape of his neck to hide his groan.
“Daozhang-gege, touch me- please,” he murmured.
“Okay,” Xie Lian stammered. “Okay, yes.” Tentatively, those warm hands wrapped around his cock, stroking it with fumbling touches that proved his inexperience. It didn’t matter, though - it was the best thing Hua Cheng had ever felt, and he held back a moan. It didn’t take long for him to get fully hard.
“Hua-gongzi…is it okay if I use my mouth?” Fuck , that almost made him come on the spot. Of course it was okay - just the thought of how he’d look beneath him, looking up with those shy, brown eyes - gods .
“Whatever - whatever daozhang needs to do for the treatment,” he answered, hoping his desperation wasn’t evident in his voice.
He thought Xie Lian might hesitate a bit more with how shy he’d been, but no - instead, as soon as he’d given his assent, he leaned forward and took him fully into his mouth. He was enveloped in warm, wet heat, and he didn’t dare look down out of fear he’d come immediately. He gazed up at the ceiling instead, trying to get himself under control.
***
Perhaps Xie Lian had overestimated himself. Perhaps he had gotten a bit too excited at the prospect of…helping the poor young man, and perhaps taking him all the way to the base wasn’t the best idea for someone who had never sucked dick before.
That being said - it was worth it to hear the noise he made. It was worth it to know that despite his inexperience, he was the one who made him sound like that. He pulled back before he began to choke, trying not to focus on the absolutely obscene way it sounded. His dick glistened with his spit, and he tried stroking him again - the slide was easier this time, and Hua Cheng groaned above him, so he had to be doing something right.
He wrapped his lips around the tip, resolving to take it slower this time. He gripped onto Hua Cheng’s thigh with one hand for comfort; with the other, he grasped the base of his cock and squeezed gently. Hua Cheng’s hips jerked, and he muttered something that sounded suspiciously like Xie Lian’s name, so he took that as a good sign. He took more of him, swirling his tongue in a way that felt right, and was rewarded by Hua Cheng’s hand in his hair. Not pulling it, per se - just holding it the way Xie Lian clutched his thigh, like a lifeline.
“Is this alright?” he tried to ask, but it came out more like a garbled moan.
“Shit- do that again, please- please, daozhang-gege,” Hua Cheng cried above him. So he tried moaning again, humming around the cock in his mouth. What little he’d gleaned from books he wasn’t supposed to read had always shown the other person moving their head, so he tried that too - bobbing back and forth in an imitation of thrusting. Spit pooled in his mouth and he tried to swallow, only succeeding in making more of a mess of them both.
The hand in his hair gripped him tighter - it bordered on painful, but at the same time he felt a curious heat building in his gut. Hua Cheng’s hips stuttered beneath him, as though he wanted to move but was holding himself back. He was panting, gaze fixed on the ceiling as Xie Lian sucked. He looked gorgeous on the brink of ecstasy - his neck muscles taut, his head thrown back - and Xie Lian felt a sense of pride that all that was because of him .
He looked down at him, and a rush of arousal pulsed through Xie Lian. He took a breath and went down to the base once more, ignoring the way tears pricked at his eyes. He kept eye contact all the while, wanting to see the exact moment he broke.
It didn’t take long. One last jerk of his hips, and suddenly he was crying out, his cock twitching in Xie Lian’s mouth as he came. “Daozhang-gege- fuck -” he groaned, and the grip on his hair slackened. Xie Lian tried to swallow, not wanting to make more of a mess, but he didn’t quite manage it - a bit spilt from his mouth, streaking the corners of his lips.
He sat up, massaging his jaw. “Are- are you alright, Hua-gongzi?”
Absentmindedly, he licked his lips, trying to clean them. “Uhuh,” Hua Cheng breathed. “I’m great. You were great.”
Now that he had nothing to focus on, his own arousal made itself evident. Hua Cheng’s breathy compliment did nothing to help with the situation, and he sternly reminded himself that he was not here for his own pleasure. He was here to help - no time for such selfish desires.
He reached up to stroke Hua Cheng’s hair. He was still breathing deeply, but he felt a bit warmer to the touch, and it seemed as though there was a hint more color in his cheeks.
“How are you feeling?”
“Like if I’m dreaming,” he smiled at Xie Lian. “Daozhang, are you sure you’re not some spirit come to distract me in my final moments?”
“Don’t talk nonsense,” Xie Lian chided, though he smiled back anyway. “I am very much real. Let me check your meridians again.”
Hua Cheng sat up dutifully, and he braced two fingers against his wrist. Sure enough, his qi was moving a bit faster now, as if part of the blockage had been removed. Clearly, the treatment was working.
“Well…good news, er-gongzi. The treatment seems to be taking effect.” He tried not to sound too sad - this was a good thing. So what if he’d been hoping Hua Cheng might- no, no. He was a professional. A professional!
“Ah…that’s good,” Hua Cheng hesitated. “But…daozhang-gege…is one treatment really enough to be effective?”
Ah, may all the blessings rain down upon you, Hua Cheng , he thought. “You’ve spoken my very thoughts,” he replied. “For dual cultivation to be most effective, I’ve read that multiple…sessions…are required. And I wouldn’t want to take any chances, so- just to be completely sure- we should have a second round. Of treatment, that is.”
“I agree, daozhang. You know - perhaps this is wrong, but I’ve read that introducing different methods of…stimulation…helps to speed up the process.”
He blinked. He blinked again. “Yes. Yes, that is correct. In fact, I was actually going to bring that up myself. Thank you, Hua-gongzi.”
He could feel Hua Cheng’s cock harden at the words, brushing up against his thigh. He wondered if it was purely a physical reaction, or if he wanted as much as he did. He reached for it, more confident now, and stroked it, running his thumb over the slit and relishing when he moaned in surprise. His own dick was still hard, almost aching.
“Daozhang-gege, can I- can I come inside you next?” Hua Cheng asked, and Xie Lian’s cock gave a traitorous twitch at his crude words. Yes , he wanted to say, I’d like nothing more than that . But - professionalism. Instead, he replied, “Yes, er-gongzi- I think that that would be best. Actually, being closer does make the transfer of spiritual energy much more efficient.”
It was as if Hua Cheng had simply been waiting to hear those words, for he pulled Xie Lian closer until their bare chests were touching and Xie Lian was balanced in his lap. He was still so cold , and Xie Lian fought the urge to shiver. At this angle, his cock was sandwiched between them both, and he resisted the urge to rut against Hua Cheng’s stomach.
Fingers prodded at his rim, teasing him. He tensed slightly - once again, he’d overestimated. He was still a virgin, after all, and so he braced himself for the sting that would come with entry. But Hua Cheng pulled away instead.
“The servants prepared oil,” he said in explanation, and pointed to the vial that was neatly and conveniently placed on the bedside table. Xie Lian had been so focused on his job that he hadn’t noticed it, though he was grateful for it now.
“Ah, thank you, Hua-gongzi.” He uncorked the vial, fingers trembling - whether it was from anticipation or nerves, he was unsure. He poured a liberal coating of it over both their fingers, then reached back and took a breath. The sensation of his finger circling his rim was strange, but not unwelcome - he teased himself for a bit more before slipping a finger in, the stretch made easier by the oil. Hua Cheng watched him through it all, his gaze never wavering.
“Daozhang-gege…how did I get so lucky?” He remarked. Xie Lian might have blushed if he wasn’t flushed already.
“Hah- just doing my duty, you know,” he murmured. “Er-gongzi flatters me.” He tried to thrust a bit, though with his finger was too short to reach anywhere that would satisfy him. Another finger made him feel fuller, which was nice, but still not what he wanted.
“Daozhang-gege, please let me help you,” Hua Cheng said. “It’s the least I could do, really.”
No complaints here. He withdrew his fingers, ignoring the shlick they made as he did so. Hua Cheng was quick to replace them with his own, sliding in two at once. His fingers were thicker and longer than Xie Lian’s, and hit everywhere his didn’t. He moaned at the sudden intrusion, clenching around them.
Hua Cheng curled his fingers experimentally, and brushed against something that made Xie Lian feel as though his whole body were buzzing. “Ah- Hua-gongzi, do that again, please-”
He obliged, and Xie Lian was almost alight with pleasure. Was he truly this sensitive, or was it only because he was a virgin? Either way, if this continued, he was liable to come before Hua Cheng did, which would defeat the whole purpose. And yet, the words that left his mouth were -
“Hua-gongzi, er-gongzi, please put another finger in me-!”
Hua Cheng was very good at listening to instructions. He slid another finger into Xie Lian, and he felt so full he thought he might sob. He began to thrust, and Xie Lian moaned almost brokenly. “Does that feel good, daozhang-gege?” He asked. Xie Lian could hardly answer, but he nodded, hoping it conveyed the depths of his pleasure. Goodness, if just his fingers had him like this, how would his cock feel?
***
Xie Lian was really, truly, going to kill Hua Cheng, with the way he was whimpering so prettily from his fingers alone. The way he felt, too - tight and warm around his fingers. What would it be like when he was finally inside him?
“Er-gongzi- stop, stop please,” Xie Lian panted, and he stilled his fingers immediately. Had he done something wrong-? “I believe - I believe that I’m prepared enough to…for us to commence the second round of treatment.” He’d almost forgotten about that, lost in watching Xie Lian.
He pulled his fingers out, not missing the way Xie Lian’s hole clenched around nothing. He sat up, meaning to try and take one of the positions he’d read about, but Xie Lian placed a hand on his chest and gently pushed him back down. “I wouldn’t want you to strain yourself, Hua-gongzi,” he smiled. “Lay back, it’ll be better for you.” That was stupidly hot, and he lay down without complaint, thanking every deity as Xie Lian straddled him.
Xie Lian lifted himself so he was above Hua Cheng’s cock, and began to lower himself onto it. Hua Cheng held on to his thighs, supporting him as he moved. They moaned in tandem at the first brush of his cock against his hole, and Hua Cheng fought the urge to thrust upward. It was much sexier to watch the way Xie Lian furrowed his brow as he sank onto his cock. He was so focused , his concentration never wavering.
Slowly, so very slowly, more and more of his dick was enveloped by Xie Lian. It was everything he imagined and more, a tight heat gripping him to the point where he was afraid he’d come on the spot. “Daozhang-gege, please,” he moaned, unsure what he was asking for.
He grasped his thighs tighter as Xie Lian took him in fully. It was almost too much to bear. “You’re so- so tight around me, daozhang, fuck.”
Xie Lian was panting above him, chest rising and falling in shallow breaths as he tried to adjust. That adjusting translated to him clenching around him, something which was going to drive him mental. “Er-gongzi is so- hah- so big.” He leaned forward a bit, holding onto Hua Cheng’s chest for support.
“‘M gonna move now, right?” Hua Cheng could do nothing but nod enthusiastically. He had a great view of Xie Lian in this position - his hair, having fallen out of its tie at some point, cascaded down his shoulders, and he could see every little change in his expressions. Right now, his mouth was half open, sweat was beading on his bare chest, and his entire body was flushed; in other words, he looked positively debauched.
He lifted himself up - Hua Cheng didn’t even get a chance to mourn the loss of his heat, before he dropped back down. His chest heaved as he rode him, bouncing up and down in a rhythm that was almost too fast for him. He never would have expected this from the bashful cultivator that walked in earlier, and he is pleasantly surprised. The sounds of skin slapping against skin filled the room, intermingling with their moans. Up, down, up, down, with Xie Lian making little whimpering mewls every time he dropped down onto his cock.
“Ah- ah- , Hua-gongzi feels so good-” Hua Cheng groaned, the sound of his voice combined with his rapid pace and sensitivity from his previous orgasm bringing him closer and closer to his peak.
“Fuck, keep going, daozhang-gege, you look so pretty on top of me.” He wanted to kiss him very badly. Instead, he reached between them to grasp Xie Lian’s cock, roughly pumping it. Xie Lian shuddered, his rhythm faltering for a second from the new stimulation. “Is daozhang-gege going to come?”
“Nngh- not- not yet, you first,” he gasped out. “Gotta complete your treatment.” He clenched around him again, reaching a hand behind him so he could fondle Hua Cheng’s cock as he rode him. Hua Cheng held onto his hips as though they were a lifeline, turning his head so he could moan into the pillow. “N-no - wanna hear you, too.”
“ Fuck - fuck.” he groaned. “You’re so good, so tight- gonna fill you up, right? And then - then go again, just in case.” Xie Lian nods madly, clearly in favor of the idea as much as he is.
“
Please
, Hua-gongzi, want you to come inside me,
need
it, need it, need it.” He kept up the chant as he fucked himself on his cock, almost in tears. Xie Lian’s head was thrown back, mouth open and almost drooling - the epitome of ‘fucked out’.
“Can- can daozhang-gege kiss me?” he asked, any semblance of shame he might have had gone. All he knew now was that he wanted Xie Lian’s mouth on his, wanted to feel if those lips would be as soft against his own as they were around his cock. Xie Lian obliged, leaning forward at the same time as Hua Cheng sat up - the new angle made his cock shift slightly, and Xie Lian tightened around him as though he was afraid he’d slip out. They kissed, Hua Cheng tangling his hand in Xie Lian’s hair, wanting -
needing
- him closer.
He came right after that, his orgasm so intense he didn’t even have a chance to warn Xie Lian. His vision went blank for a second as he came, making good on his promise to fill him - it was the most he’d ever come, and he felt almost boneless. The good sort of exhaustion was settling in his bones, but he couldn’t rest yet - he still wanted to see Xie Lian fall apart.
***
Xie Lian was quite proud of himself. He’d gotten Hua Cheng through two orgasms and without coming himself - where his stamina came from, he couldn’t tell, but he thanked every deity he knew for it. Even if all he wanted was to come, there was a certain satisfaction in delaying himself for so long.
“Hua-gongzi, I’m close!” he cried out. Hua Cheng, though he looked as though he was teetering on overstimulation, thrusted his hips upward to help Xie Lian.
“I’ve got you,” he murmured, stroking Xie Lian’s back. His fingers ran over his scars, his touch feather-light, bringing goosebumps to his skin. “Come for me, you deserve it.”
The wet squelch of Hua Cheng’s come inside him, his voice, and the grasp he had on his cock all combined into a delicious cocktail of pleasure, and he finally gave into it.
He collapsed onto Hua Cheng, fatigue settling in. It was then he noticed -
“Hua-gongzi, you’re warm!” he exclaimed. “It seems like the treatment is taking effect after all.”
“Uhuh,” he mumbled. “That’s good. But - sleep now. Talk later.” It seemed as though Hua Cheng had hit his limit. He yawned, nuzzling into Xie Lian’s shoulder. He was becoming quite attached to Hua Cheng. Perhaps he should stick around for a few more days, or weeks, or months, after this. To ensure the treatment took, of course. Of course.
“Hua-gongzi is right,” he said. “We should rest together to make sure it’s completely kicked in.”
“Talking too much. Did I not do a good enough job?”
He did too good of a job. Xie Lian could hardly feel his legs. “No - Hua-gongzi was perfect.” He thought about how his cock felt inside him and shivered- keep up that train of thought and he might end up getting hard again. He elected instead to kiss him again, before finally relaxing into his embrace.
He’d figure out logistics and a proper ‘treatment plan’ later. For now, it was enough to doze in Hua Cheng’s arms, blissful and content. Perhaps the whole dual cultivation thing wasn’t too bad.